Compliments of the Festive Season.

A Merry Christmas to all who happen by the blog. Wishing you all peace and prosperity.

Sneaky Peek at WIP. WW1 Camel Ambulance 1.

Finally I have been able to start some work on a project that has been on the cards for quite some time. While I wait for the delivery of some more brass rod (note to self- check supplies before embarking on new project) here are a couple of images of the first converted camel. Additions made with plasticard, brass rod, grey stuff, superglue and swearing. More in due course as this progresses alongside the current project of a number of WW1 Mutton Chop Germans.

Mutton Chop WW1 Tommies Revisited.

A group of twelve Tommies from Mutton Chop. Using my own green-khaki paint scheme to fit in with other figures in the same collection.

1st Corps Holt Artillery Tractor, a scratchbuilt towing limber and an 8 inch howitzer from HLBSCo.

I just had to complete the ensemble. The tractor from the previous post, a scratchbuilt cereal packet towing limber and a big gun that had been in a box for a while. In the words of Chris Tarrant from his "TISWAS" days, "This is what we want!"

1st Corps Holt Artillery Tractor

Have taken some time out of the painting schedule to paint up the new Holt Artillery Tractor from 1st Corps. I shortened the uprights that support the canopy as the original model looked too tall for my liking. A bit of modelling putty on the edge of the canopy created the impression of the rolled up canvas sides of the vehicle. The kit also comes with two figures for crew if you fancy it. Here a couple of "brass hats" from Division get a closer look after this leviathan has hauled 8 inch howitzers into positions outside Gaza.

Mutton Chop WW1 Imperial Germans. Pack GER6.

Mutton Chop WW1 Imperial Germans. Pack GER8. Maxim Team.

Mutton Chop WW1 German Infantry Revisited 1.

An opportunity to revisit these excellent sculpts from Paul Hicks' Mutton Chop WW1 range of figures. A slightly darker grey for the M1910 uniform than I have painted previously. More to come.

What next?

After a very difficult three month period for my mother and family, things will now slowly return to normal. Not the normality we are all used to, but a new normal, sadly one without my mother who lost her fight two weeks ago.

Mum was always worried about us, more than she was about herself. She made me promise that I would paint as much as I could in between the hospital visits. For a month I couldn't concentrate for long enough but I completed the Taliban project once we became used to the idea that Mum would be in hospital for a long time and that she would not be coming home. The end was unexpected, swift, calm and a blessing as Mum faced months of terminal decline. She has been spared that ordeal. Words can not express how I feel at present.

Painting is therapy. Although I can't do long sessions at the table at the moment I shall keep things ticking along on the projects that I had to put on hold when Mum became ill back in the summer. So, a dozen WW1 Mutton Chop Tommies and thirty WW1 Mutton Chop Germans are next. Once these are well underway I am looking forward to answering a challenge to create some WW1 British Imperial and Ottoman Camel Ambulance bases for the Middle Eastern theatres.

So... here are the first four.... I've painted and photgraphed these before but who cares. I love these Tommies by Paul Hicks.

Taliban 3.

The last figures in this project.

Taliban 2.

Some more of the Eureka Miniatures Modern Afghans, I rather like the two figures with the RPG-7s.

Taliban 1.

The first half dozen of twenty-odd of these Afghan figures from the Eureka Miniatures 28mm Modern range. The sole output since my last post due to some difficult times at home that look set to continue for the near future. Such is life.

Mark I Gun Carrier. A cereal packet scratchbuild.

A cereal packet Mark 1 Gun Carrier. The 60pdr comes from HLBS.

French Napoleonic 7th Hussars. Perry Plastic Hussars 2. The Completed Unit.

Big Bertha and further progress with Pigs.

The HLBS Krupp 42cm Howitzer.

Following the concept model in the previous post, the design and build of the cereal packet Mark IX "Pig" Infantry Carrier has been tweaked a little in size and rudimentary rivettng has taken place on this second scratchbuilt model.